At least five lawsuits have been filed against an Avondale taqueria following a Salmonella outbreak that left dozens ill.
As of Thursday, at least 55 cases of Salmonella have been linked to an outbreak at Carniceria Guanajuato, 3140 N. California Ave., according to the Chicago Department of Public Health.
One customer had to be placed on a ventilator and remains on dialysis, according to food safety lawyer Bill Marler.
Ten people, all positive for Salmonella, a bacteria that commonly causes food poisoning, have retained Marler’s services. Six of those people were hospitalized, Marler said. So far, Marler’s firm has filed five lawsuits against the restaurant.
The restaurant and grocery store were inspected on Sept. 8 after a report of food poisoning, according to city records. Inspectors reported raw beef and raw shelled eggs were stored above ready-to-eat sliced lettuce and found other items stored at improper temperatures.
The restaurant was instructed to clean and sanitize certain food preparation areas, install working thermometers inside restaurant coolers, and correct labeling of prepared foods, among other fixes, city records showed.
City health officials issued a warning that individuals who dined at the taqueria or purchased ready-made meals from the grocery store since Aug. 29 may have been potentially exposed to Salmonella.
“Investigation into the source of infections remains ongoing and management continues to work closely with the Chicago Department of Public Health,” city spokesman Jacob Martin said in a statement.
The taqueria remains closed, he said.
